April 16, 2007
Voting Rights March Defies Weather
The Voting Rights March and Rally in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool today was by all accounts a big success despite chilly winds and rain. We estimate between 4,000 - 5,000 supporters came out to demand a full vote for D.C. in the House of Representatives. Many more showed up too late for the rally, which was originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. but was shortened and started early due to the weather conditions.
We've got some great photos from the event, but we're just sure that you do too. Don't forget to tag your Voting Rights March photos with "dcist" and "voting rights march" on Flickr -- we'll be putting together a slide show of all the best shots in the morning, along with more detailed posts about the march.
Photo by Sommer Mathis
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WTOP is putting it around 2000. Washington Times is putting it at 100 dirty hippies that hate America.
i was there, and i can guarantee that there were more than just 100 dirty hippies. i was a little disappointed that it was shortened and actually really surprised that they ended it at 4, when i figured most people would actually arrive after the march..but i would definately deem it a success.
I'm sorry I had to miss out (damn work). As a former DC resident of six years, I sympathize with the cause.
The weather succcccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkked
I'd agree on a 2,000-2,500 head count at the Capitol Hill rally.
However, I'm not-at-all impressed with how much of a rush-job the whole thing resembled. The fact that the whole Cap Hill rally ended by 3:30 must've really ticked off those who took of the last hour of work to attend, only to find that the party had ended. While I understand that the weather was challenging, most folks in attendance were dressed appropriately for the conditions.
And what was with the mega-convoy of buses? Is it the new-school form of marching? I mean, it was nice taking an easygoing, police-escorted stroll down Penn Ave (well after the Freedom Plaza stuff had packed up); but it sure didn't seem like much of a march.
And I don't think it said a hell of a lot, in the end - it was wasted potential.
I posted more thoughts about the march and rally on my blog.
"I'm not-at-all impressed with how much of a rush-job the whole thing resembled."
A much larger event was planned for and anticipated. Unseasonable weather kept it down. For example, the buses were for DC seniors, who attended with the intent of participating, but whom the city asked to remain within them so they would be sheltered from the adverse weather.
It was a tough day for a march, and many plans were changed after events had been set in motion.
Yes, it was a tough day for a march and rally. But let's face it: DC didn't have really tough weather compared to a lot of cities along the eastern seaboard.
For example: Boston not only managed to pull off its annual marathon - with thousands of participants and spectators who toughed it out without too much difficulty - but they also held the traditional Patrot Day Red Sox game in driving wind and rain.
And I'm glad they had the buses for the seniors - though I saw more than a few out of the buses over at Cap Hill, cheering and chanting with the crowd.
But there was really no good reason to hurry up the schedule - none, whatsoever. DC Vote had published a schedule that allowed many people who had to work today (and that's the majority of employed DC residents) to be able to get out of work an hour early to attend the rally. Yet the whole thing was over by 3:30 - 30 minutes before the advertised start time for the rally at the Capitol.
While it was a decent gesture to the minority of folks who were under-dressed at the event, it was poor form on the part of the coalition responsible for organizing the event. They could've stuck to the schedule without any really adverse effects, enabling supporters who couldn't make the earlier assembly rally and march to participate in the day's events.
But the early end to the big events made for quite a few disappointed folks, and didn't paint the organization level of DC voting rights advocates in a good light.
Just my $0.02, but I think the event was a lot less potent than it could've been. Sure, you can post a bit of the blame on the weather; but a lot of controllable factors also played their part.
Perhaps next time - if there is a next time.
Just my $0.02. Your mileage may vary.
Is this why my trash wasn't emptied today? Yeesh, lets stop half assing it... either DC should be a state or.. even better... no taxes like Puerto Rico!!!!
Tragic as it is, the shooting will do more for DC representation than the march did. Would be really surprised if Republicans have the guts to bring up gun control again.
Blame it on the rain... crap, now I've got Milli Vanilli stuck in my head. Thanks, eastbound weather system, you rat bastard.
Did anyone else find that the speakers (both living and mechanical) at the rally weren't loud enough?
Day wasn't a total wash, I got Marion Berry to sign my program. Guess he must not have seen "bitch set me up" above it. Delegate Norton, by the way, believes that the Colbert Report has done more for a vote than almost anything else.
I showed up a little after 4, and I was wondering if I stumbled into a Girl Scouts cookies sale. Finishing 30 mins before the scheduled start time is not cool man. For the next, real rally, they should hold it on a weekend so more people with actual jobs can show up.
"A common misconception is that residents of Puerto Rico do not have to pay federal taxes. Residents of the island pay federal taxes and some even pay federal income taxes (Puerto Rico residents who are federal employees, or who do business with the federal government). While most residents of the island do not pay federal income tax, they do pay federal payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), as well as Puerto Rico income taxes."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico
I work down near Freedom Plaza; streets were blocked off and full of cops when I arrived at 8:00 am, and stayed that way through the rally. Any idea why that long lead time is necessary?
Guess it's official: God does not want DC to have a full-fledged Member of Congress.
And politburo, the money quote there is "...most residents of teh island do not pay federal income tax. . ."
Sure they have the payroll tax, since they collect medicare and SS. And of course they have PR taxes as we would continue paying DC taxes under HC's proposal.
Plus, we could have our own olympic team. How sweet would that be?
In regards the Puerto Rico and taxes,
Although PPuerto Rico pays federal taxes, I think the initial post was referring to the fact that Puerto Rico has no sales tax.
Songfta:
It wasn't the cold or the rain, but the wind that really did the march in. And not just the constant wind, which was strong through the event, but the the gusts, which played havoc with much of the infrastructure (tents, information booths, etc).
By writing "They could've stuck to the schedule without any really adverse effects,", you demonstrate an apparent lack of knowledge of the preparations necessary to support this sort of event. A marathon or baseball game (need I say both of which involve atheletes, and require less public information material be distributed from temporary kiosks and shelters?) would have been in many ways more feasible.
With low turnout and any possible national coverage turned elsewhere (VA Tech), it sounds like this thing was a bust. Too bad.
"For example: Boston not only managed to pull off its annual marathon - with thousands of participants and spectators who toughed it out without too much difficulty - but they also held the traditional Patrot Day Red Sox game in driving wind and rain."
That's an interesting point that I've always wondered about: the political psychology of rallies/protests and how they are covered by the media. This rally got decent media coverage, with about 2000-3000 attending. However, consider the fact that 16 thousand people went to the Nationals game last night. Also consider that the weather was worse by then and that the Nats totally suck (despite actually winning last night). Does that say something?
The first response is likely "well these people were doing something important/political with their time." But it seems to me that people at these rallies/protests quite enjoy themselves, at least as much as those sitting in RFK last night. So we have a small amount of people, getting together an enjoying themselves, why is that even newsworthy?
I'm am honestly asking this question. It seems to me that large protests of the past were newsworthy because they carried an implicit threat to the state, either through violence or other dramatic change. But absent that threat, why should modern day rallies/protests matter?
As much as I dislike most protests that come through this town, I think that they should matter (although I still think they're mostly a waste of effort that could be better directed towards more efficient, if not less cathartic, means), but I just can't think of any specific reason why they should matter and why the media should bother covering them other than the fact that the organizers really, really want them to.
Can anyone give me another reason?
Hey Reid - no way was there 16,000 at the Nationals game last night. That is a reported attendance based on ticket sales including all season tickets (of which, there are about 15,500...seriously). I was there and it was probably more like 9,000 tops. Sure that's more than yesterday's rally, but it was also didn't start until 7pm.
As many have said above, I think that the scheduling of the rally on a regular work day reduced the numbers in attendance significantly. I know, I know, there was some significance to holding the event on Emancipation Day - but so many people just couldn't be there for the march at 2:30 or even the rally at 4:00 because of work. The fact that the rally ended before it was even scheduled to begin only exascerbated the problem.
Some of have to work. My boss would have laughed her head off if I tried to duck out for the rally - and she IS a DC resident. I realize that a weekday might have a bigger audience on the Hill, but an audience of what? Your rally would have had more support if it was scheduled later in the day or on a a day when we didn't all have to be at our jobs.
Deskjockey says: "Delegate Norton, by the way, believes that the Colbert Report has done more for a vote than almost anything else."
It sure helps motivate young folks when you remind them that Eleanor can kick Colbert's butt on TV but can't vote in the House.
I'll take your word that there were less people at RFK, but that doesn't get to my larger point: should the media make a big deal over a rally that has, say, 20,000 people on a random Sunday, when on that same day 90,000 people go see the Redskins? If so, why?
LincolnParker - SS/Medicare make up 50% of my federal tax burden. Sure, it'd be great to not pay fed income tax, but that's still a far cry from "no taxes" which is what the OP said.
retracsemaj - Several states have no sales tax. I don't think that's what the OP was referring to. Bottom line is that many people incorrectly think PR residents pay no federal taxes.. hell I did until I wiki'd it a few months ago.
Here's another question: What next? The House will likely vote in support of the Norton-Davis bill. The Senate likely won't and Bush has indicated he would veto the bill.
So what's the next step?
"It seems to me that large protests of the past were newsworthy because they carried an implicit threat to the state, either through violence or other dramatic change. But absent that threat, why should modern day rallies/protests matter?"
Good practical question, Reid. My sense is that modern rallies serve to get people invested in an idea. Yesterday's rally, to some degree because of the weather, drew mostly the already-invested, including the usual citizen-activists, politicians, and media figures. So it probably didn't achieve what good it might have without resorting to civil disobedience.
I still think DC citizens should have a real tax protest to prove that "no taxation without representation" isn't just a cheap slogan. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Reid and Mark have good points. People protest in DC all the time. Big deal. They need to do something that actually catches people's attention.
DC hosts three "walks for causes," two "fun runs," a marathon, and a "Mothers Against Bad Stuff" gathering on the Mall each weekend, so it is difficult to get media attention for another event, no matter how righteous. Innovative strategies help, but nobody can control the News Hole, which is now filled to bursting with the VA Tech tragedy. There will be no news of anything else for days.
Suggestion: If you have great pics of yesterday's march, get them out there ASAP. The current media obsession is weak on visuals, so there is a slight chance your photo might might be used for relief, and the caption might allow some issue coverage.
Factors going against the march:
1) During the Work Day
2) Nearly unbearable weather and winds
3) Early ending to the event
4) Media coverage obviously focused elsewhere
5) Marches and protests are so prevalent, some people have simply given up on them as a means of productive persuasion
6) As evidenced on previous DCist postings, a great number of people don't care enough about the voting efforts because the perception is that it won't affect their daily lives one way or the other
Cranky asks "So what's the next step?"
Great question. IMHO, step one is remembering HR 1433 is still on the agenda, so if you took snaps of the March, send them to all your friends and relations outside the District, ask them to write their congresspersons in support of HR 1433, and send the link house.gov/writerep/
If you went to the March, write or call your friends and relations outside the District, tell them about the March, and ask them to write their congresspersons in support of HR 1433, as above.
If you would have gone to the March but your cat was sick or whatever, write or call all your friends and relations outside the District and ask them to write their congresspersons in support of HR 1433, as above.
I'm sure organization leaders will remind Nancy Pelosi how important it is to keep the bill a high priority.
Step two is working the Senate side, but getting even more House momentum will help there, too.